Combined spring-bed and fire-escape.



Patented Mar. 26, l90l. I.

U. MALPHUBS. COMBINED SPRING BED AND FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed Mar. 0. 1900.;

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

(ax M UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISI-IAM U. MALPHURS, OF LACROSSE, FLORIDA.

COMBINED SPRING-BED AND FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,798, dated March 26, 1901.

Application filed March 6, 1900.

To atZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISHAM U. MALPHURS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lacrosse, in the county of Alachua and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Spring Bed- Bottom and Fire-Escape, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a combined spring bed-bottom and fire-escape, the object being to provide a spring bed-bottom which may be readily unfolded for use as a fire-escape ladder, so constructed as to be manufactured at small expense, and capable of being quickly and easily folded and unfolded.

The construction of the improvement will be fully described hereinafter and defined in the appended claim, in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. A

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the invention in its unfolded position suspended from a window-sill ready for use as a fire-escape. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, the window-sill being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the two sections in their folded position disconnected and placed side by side to form a spring bed-bottom. Fig. 4.is a side elevation of one section of the device in its folded position, and Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a supplemental ladder-section adapted for use when necessary for attachment to the bed-bottom sections to lengthen the ladder.

I preferably employ two foldable sections, (although more than two sections may of course be used, if desired,) and as both sections are the same in construction a detail description of one will suffice for both.

Each section of the device comprises a plurality of short ladders loosely secured together by pivoted links. The number of ladders composing a section of the bed-bottom is of course not material and may vary with the requirements of use. In the drawings each section comprises five ladders, the sides of which are designated by the numerals 1, 2, 3, 1, and 5, respectively. 1, 3, and 5 are long ladders and 2 and 4: are short ladders.

The numeral 6 designates the rounds of the ladders.

The upper ends of the sides of the ladder 1 Serial No. 7.568. (No model.)

are provided with hooks 7 adapted to engage eyes 8, projecting from the window-sill. The lower ends of the sides of the upper ladder are connected by links 9 with the upper end of the sides 2 of the next adjacent ladder by pivot-rivets 10 and pivot-pins 10, provided by the projecting ends of each alternate pair of rounds 6, and the lower ends of the sides 2 are connected by links 9 with the next section, and so on.

To the upper round of the ladder 1 and lower round of the ladder 5 are secured two coil-springs 11 of the conical form shown. To each of the rounds of the ladders 2 and 4 aresecured two coil-springs, (designated, respectively, l2 and 13,) and the springs 12 on one round are connected by integral connecting rods 14 with the springs 13 of the adjacent round, providing twin coil-springs. The central ladder-section is u'n provided with springs to facilitate the folding of the device to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4..

Fig. 3 shows the two bed-sections folded and arranged side by side to form the bed, the links 9, connecting the sections 1, 2, and 3, being folded in opposite directions under the section 2, and the links connecting the sections 3, 4, and 5 being similarly folded under the sides of the section 4.

In Fig. 5 is shown a supplemental laddersection comprising sides 15 and rounds 16, the ends of the rounds being provided with snap-hooks 17, adapted to be attached to hooks or loops on the ends of the bed-sections to lengthen the ladder, as will be readily understood.

The utility and operation of the invention will be readily understood. When the two ladder-sections are in their folded position and placed side by side they form a serviceable spring bed-bottom, and when the sections are unfolded and connected together they form a ladder of sufficient length to reach from the window to the ground in all ordinary buildings. If additional length is required, one

or more of the supplemental sections (shown inFig. 5) may be used in addition to the sections carrying the springs.

I claim A combined spring bed-bottom and fire-escape, comprising long ladders each having rounds, short ladders alternating with the long ladders each having rounds extending posed over the adjacent ends of the long ladtherethrough to provide pivot-pins, links conders.

IO nected at one end to the pivot-pins, pivot- In testimony whereof I affix my signature rivets connecting the other ends of the links in presence of two witnesses.

5 to the long ladders, and coil-springs secured ISHAM U. MALPHURS.

to the outer rounds of the outer long ladders, Witnesses: and to the rounds of the short ladders, the F. R. PARKER,

links permitting the short ladders to be super- C. F. WILSON. 

